


Dream a Little Dream of Me

by BelovedCreation



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-14
Updated: 2014-05-31
Packaged: 2018-01-24 16:40:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1612085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelovedCreation/pseuds/BelovedCreation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Snow has been saved, the party settles down for the night. Emma and Killian still have a lot to talk about. Set during "There's No Place Like Home."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"I’ll take first watch," Snow announced.

"I’ll join you," David responded, giving her a look out of the corner of his eye that Emma couldn’t decipher. Was it romantic interest? Or was it distrust? Emma figured that either way was fine, as long as her father was taking an interest in her mother. A conversation under the stars would only help push those two closer together.

"Leia, darling, I found a nice patch of moss over here." Killian was giving her one of his own indecipherable smiles. But she was pretty sure that she had cracked the code. He was reminding her that they must play the part of prince and princess.

"Who do they think we are?" Emma whispered when she and Killian were out of earshot.

Killian handed her a blanket and grinned. “Why, Prince Charles and Princess Leia of course.”

"Yes, of course, but, who do they think we are… to each other?" Emma felt her cheeks flush, betraying her embarrassment.

Killian sat down on the soft earth, shook out his own blanket, and lay back. “Don’t worry, love, they’re not expecting us to be messing about over here. Your father suspects us to be romantically involved, but neither betrothed nor married. Now lay down, lass, and get some sleep. We should be able to go back to our own time tomorrow, unless your parents muck everything up again.”

Emma lay down on her own patch of earth, careful to keep three feet away from the prostrate prince. Her stomach had been filled with butterflies for the last two days. She could blame it on adrenaline, but now that she was laying down next to Killian, and all seemed to be going well, adrenaline was no excuse. Emma was feeling something for Killian, something far beyond lust and attraction. Despite how weary she was, she knew that if their bodies were any closer together, she might not able to resist his magnetic pull.

"Do you remember the last time we were in the Enchanted Forest, love?" Killian’s soft, lilting voice shook her from her thoughts and brought a smile to her face.

"I seem to remember the two of us fighting a lot," she responded, turning her head to catch his twinkling eyes. "Something about a giant, Rumpelstiltskin’s cell, and a sword fight." 

Killian chuckled under his breath. The sound brought back the butterflies that Emma had been fighting against. His smile and his next words sent a shiver down her spine. “I recall that you constantly got exactly what you wanted.” Unbidden, Emma recalled the flash of heat when she held his body close and protected him from the tripwire in the giants’ castle. She remembered the blood coursing through her veins when he hovered over her, sword and hook flashing, and smiled suggestively. _Maybe I didn’t get everything I wanted._

The shiver down her spine radiated out to the rest of her body and she realized that she was freezing. The thin dress that was given to prisoners wasn’t meant to be worn outside of the jail cell. Emma clutched her blanket closer, willing her body to just relax. The shivering would have to stop eventually.

"Are you cold, Swan?" Nothing seemed to get past Killian’s gaze.

"No, of course not," she grunted, her chattering teeth betraying her. She rolled onto her side, facing away from Killian and hoping he would let it go.

"Come on, two bodies under two blankets is much better than one and one, love."

Emma curled her body into the fetal position, focusing on relaxing her muscles, dammit. She had slept on the streets and in cars plenty of nights. Her years of sleeping in beds had made her grow soft.

"Emma. Please." His two words were a plea, and with those words her heart broke a little. She rolled over to face him once again, and there was no innuendo in his eyes. He was not trying to make a pass at her, and he was not about to betray her trust. Killian was simply trying to take care of her, as he had done since they landed in the Enchanted Forest of 30 years past and as he had done since he took her to Neverland to find her son.

Emma nodded in defeat. Killian sat up, pulling off his own blanket and shucking his jacket. “Take off your cloak, love. We want layers on top of us, not between us.” Under her blanket, Emma carefully untied her cloak and moved the fabric so that it provided another cover.

Killian spread his own blanket over her layers and lifted one corner, searching her eyes before proceeding. He was asking permission once again, and she gave it to him with a half-smile. He slid under the blankets and tucked his jacket behind his head. They were lying on their backs side-by-side, and Emma was suddenly reminded of those times in foster care when she was forced to sleep in the same bed as another child. It was always uncomfortable and there never seemed to be enough room.

"Is that better, Swan?" His nose was inches from her own, and Emma had to bite the inside of her mouth to hold back from kissing him then and there.

Emma smiled wryly. “This is a little awkward.”

A grin broke out on his face. “I thought the same. This is not the way that one falls asleep with a beautiful woman.”

She couldn’t help but tease him. “I didn’t think that pirates actually fell asleep with women. Don’t they sneak out before dawn?”

"Ah, but that is for women that pirates don’t care about. Women that pirates use to forget their pain and their sadness. Women that pirates meet when they are filled with rum and regret. The special women are held close, like precious treasure. Those women are to be protected."

A lump rose to Emma’s throat, but she pushed it down. She had cried more than enough on this adventure. She let out a soft laugh instead. “So how does a pirate fall asleep with those women?”

In one fluid motion, Killian wrapped his arm around her waist and rolled onto his side, moving her body with his. She could feel the warmth of his torso radiating heat onto her back. His hand was tucked up under her waist and his other arm was supporting her head. Emma couldn’t hold back the gasp that escaped from her mouth.

His hot breath tickled her ear as he whispered, “A pirate must do all that he can to protect that which is important to him.” Emma relaxed into his arms, feeling as she did when they danced the night prior and when he comforted her in Regina’s castle. She knew that she was safe.

Her hand came down to intertwine with his at her waist, her mind turning fuzzy with exhaustion. When her father shook the two of them awake a few hours later to take over the watch, she was relieved, for once, that he didn’t recognize his own daughter. Because if he had, she doubted that he would have shot Killian that sly wink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t write much fic, and this is my first OUaT/Captain Swan fic, but I just *had* two get out the feels when I imagined the two of them falling asleep in the forest after Snow was rescued.


	2. Chapter 2

“What was that all about?”

Emma and Killian had seated themselves next to the fire to keep the second watch. He had expected her to sit across from him, no longer needing his body heat in the warmth of the fire. To his utter delight, she had elected to sit next to him, her question punctuated by bumping her shoulder against his.

“What are you talking about, love?”

“David winking at you when he woke us up. Since when are you two bros?”

Killian chuckled, stalling for time. “Your father and I have always had a certain camaraderie.”

Emma rolled her eyes, making Killian wonder what David had said about him when Killian wasn’t around. The two had fought side-by-side many times, and David hadn’t necessarily tried to push Killian away from Emma since their little adventure that cured David’s dreamshade injury. But he was still uncertain about how David would feel if Killian were to officially court Emma. He was fairly sure that Mary Margaret would be firmly against it.

“Captain Hook and Prince Charming, a friendship that transcends time and realms, huh?” Emma was tuning up the sarcasm. Killian’s heart warmed a notch at her words, even as he bristled at the tone.

“What are you saying, Swan? You do not think that your father approves of me?”

“No, I’m just curious what conversations you and David were having when I wasn’t around and why he would be winking when he found the two of us, you know…” Her words trailed off and Emma’s eyes darted away from him.

“When he found us what, love? Seeking comfort in the warmth of one another’s embrace?” Killian knew that he should not tease her like this, but he could not stop the shit-eating grin from breaking across his face.

“When he found us **cuddling**!” she shot back, eyes narrowed. Killian felt defeated. Although that was certainly what they had been doing, he felt grumpy that she had bested him in their verbal wordplay. There was a pause while they stared one another down. The dancing flames of fire were reflected in her green eyes, and Killian knew that he had lost before he had even started. If she wanted an answer out of him, she would certainly get it. Emma Swan always set the boundaries of their relationship, and she always got exactly she wanted.

Killian sighed and picked up a stick, poking at the dying embers as he considered how to phrase his next words.

“Let me just say that, although David Noland may not approve of Captain Hook being his daughter’s partner, Prince Charming thinks that Prince Charles has acted admirably in his rescue of Princess Leia.”

Emma smiled, biting her lower lip. Killian may have told her that she was an open book, but there were times when her smiles and gazes confounded even him. Reflexively, his hand went up to scratch the nape of his neck as he waited nervously for her response.

“Well of course he does,” Emma finally responded. Killian let out the breath he hadn’t known he was holding. “A dashing prince that braves the dangers of the Evil Queen’s castle to rescue a princess. No wonder he is impressed. I’m not sure what you said to get the two of them to help you with this rescue mission, but it must have been convincing. And I have little doubt that there were swordfights and trickery that happened before we were reunited. Charming gets excited by those things too. He senses a kindred spirit in you.”

Another grin spread across Killian’s face. He really had a hard time keeping his emotions in check around her.

“I wonder if he’ll remember that conversation when we get back. If we get back.”

A furrow had settled between Emma’s eyes, and Killian wished desperately to wipe it away. He settled for placing his hand on top of hers, channeling all of his faith in her into his next words. “Of course we will get back, Swan. I’ve yet to see you fail.”

The furrow disappeared and was replaced by another smile. Was she remembering the last time that he uttered those words?

They settled into another silence, but Killian didn’t push. Emma was obviously thinking about something, and he figured it was best if he let her lead the conversation.

“Killian, I’m sorry.” Her hand twisted under his, sliding to fit her fingers into the spaces between his. The movement felt so wonderful that it took a moment to process what she had said.

“What was that, love?”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, the furrow back on her brow and accompanied with pursed lips.

“Gods, what do you have to be sorry about, lass?” He was utterly bewildered.

“I’m sorry…” she sighed deeply, “I’m sorry that everyone always sees you as a pirate. And that everyone thinks that’s a bad thing.”

His heart was pounding in his chest and he was having trouble breathing and he thought that this had to be a dream, it was much too wonderful.

Emma turned to face him, her eyes looking deep into his own.

“Sometimes my parents get a little high-and-mighty and they forget that their own daughter spent time in jail. I’m sorry that people have been treating you like shit just because you have a past. That’s not fair. Being a pirate is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Her words were a balm to his broken soul, and he wanted desperately to kiss the lips of the woman who had put him back together. But he held back. This was not his journey, it was Emma’s. She called the shots. His job was to help her and protect her.

Emma must have also felt the intensity of the moment had become too much. She dropped her head onto his shoulder, shoved against his knee with her own, and giggled. “Besides,” she chirped, “I always wanted to be a pirate.”

They shared no more words during their watch duty. Killian spent the time enjoying the way her thumb was tracing patterns on the back of his hand and picturing the life that he could have had if Emma had come into his life years ago. It was the life of a pirate and his pirate princess, sailing the seas on the Jolly Roger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally was not going to write a second part, but sleepymomma918 put a bug in my ear and then I started thinking and this came out. I’m actually pretty happy about it.


	3. Chapter 3

Emma yawned deeply, stretching her arms above her head, and slowly lowered her body to the ground, ready for another few hours of sleep. Red and the mysterious prisoner were taking the third watch, and Emma was not sure that she could keep her eyes open for much longer. She had almost drifted back to sleep when she realized that something was wrong.

"Killian, what the hell?"

The pirate was sitting a few feet away, leaning against a tree and looking every bit as weary as Emma felt.

"Are you going to get some more sleep? Because that looks really uncomfortable."

Killian squirmed a bit, shifting against his backrest. "I did not want to make any assumptions, love..."

He trailed off uncomfortably and Emma didn't know if she wanted to roll her eyes or smile. She settled for a bit of both.

"I get that you're trying to be a gentleman, but it is fucking freezing out here. So let's just share the blankets again so we don't turn into popsicles."

He crawled over, muttering something under his breath about always being a gentleman. But Emma was past caring. All she knew was that there was something so comforting about his body wrapped around hers a few hours prior. As she drifted off to sleep, Emma dimly wondered if she would ever be able to fall asleep again without him there.

***

Emma was standing on a yellow brick road, far away from her home.

Regina suddenly appeared, wearing a huge pink dress and a radiant smile.

"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?"

"Who, me? I'm not a witch at all. I'm Emma Swan, from Boston," Emma responded, fingering her blonde pigtails.

"You certainly are a witch," Regina responded, plastic smile still firmly in place. "Look at all of the magic inside of you, Savior."

Emma looked down into the basket she was carrying. Beneath the gingham cover was a bundle of pure white light.

When she looked up again, Regina was gone and Emma was standing in a corn field that stretched for miles. She could see a face poking above the corn, and she ran towards it.

"Hey Mom!" Henry shouted with a cheery smile. Straw was sticking out from the holes in his shirt. She reached up to help him down from his wooden perch.

"Hey kid. Which way do we go?"

"That way is a nice way," Henry chirped, pointing to his left. "It's pleasant down that way too." Henry's other arm reached out. "Of course, some people go both ways." He crossed his arms, pointing in opposite directions.

Emma turned towards her left, and the white orb in her basket glowed brighter.

"How about this way?"

Emma and Henry continued along. She was humming a song that seemed familiar, but Emma couldn't figure out why.

When they came into a forest, she spotted David standing among the trees.

"David! DAVID!" He didn't move an inch. She skipped over and banged on his tin chest, the sound echoing. "Why, he's frozen!" She exclaimed. She leaned forward to kiss him on his silver cheek and he broke into a wide grin.

"My goodness, I can talk again!"

"Well, you're perfect now," Emma responded, resting her hand on his shoulder.

He tucked her hand into the crook of her arm, and the three of them continued along the path. They were all humming the song now.

The forest grew darker and the light from her basket began to falter. At that moment, something large jumped out from behind the trees, growling and roaring. It was Hook! He shook his mane and prepared to pounce. Seizing up her courage, Emma stepped forward and slapped him firmly across the face. "Shame on you!" He immediately jumped back and began whimpering.

"Goodness, what a fuss you're making," Emma said, rolling her eyes. "Come on, let's go."

Hook linked his arm with David's and joined their pack. The humming had grown louder, and Hook was even whistling along.

The four of them reached a city of bright green. When they walked through the gates, Emma was surprised to see that it was empty. There was nothing inside.

"Oh no."

"Mom, what's wrong?" Henry asked with a puzzled expression.

"I just- I just thought that this light was leading me home," Emma responded sadly.

David squeezed her hand. "But Emma, you've always been home."

"I have?"

Hook lifted back the gingham cover again. The light was glowing brighter than ever, reflecting off of the translucent green gates.

"Take a leap of faith, love."

The light turned blinding but Emma continued watching as it enveloped her. And then she  _was_ the light and she was shining and she was pure magic and pure light and pure goodness. And she was everything. She was clever and loving and brave. She was a swan and she was flying away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I had an idea and decided to continue. Next chapter will be Killian's dream, and then I'll wrap up with a final scene. It was fun to work out the surreal nature of writing a dream. Now I really want someone to draw these 5 characters as their Wizard of Oz counterparts!


	4. Chapter 4

_What the hell was he to do now?_

In the cozy silence of their watch, Killian had felt confident that he and Emma would cuddle up to one another for the last few hours of sleep. He would wrap her in his arms and her soft form would chase away the nightmares that had plagued him for years.

But when he joined her in the clearing, after waking Red and the prisoner, he was not so sure. Emma had already laid down, her eyes closed in exhausted sleep. Any movement to join her would only wake her, and possibly border on inappropriate boundary-crossing. Killian had worked too hard to fall back because of any assumptions. He warily slumped against a tree and sank to the ground. His eyes closed as he wondered what to do.

"Killian, what the hell?"

His eyes flew open at Emma's groggy exclamation. She was still awake?

"Are you going to get some more sleep? Because that looks really uncomfortable."

Killian rocked back and forth, debating whether or not to make his way towards her. "I did not want to make any assumptions, love..." He was dying to ask her what he should do, but this was their way. He would remain by her side and allow her to call the shots. This was their dangerous dance. If he tried to lead, then she was sure to leave the ballroom quickly.

"I get that you're trying to be a gentleman, but it is fucking freezing out here. So let's just share the blankets again so we don't turn into popsicles."

Killian couldn't help but smile at her exasperation. "You always make it so bloody hard for a gentleman, love," he muttered to himself as he crawled over. He slid under the pile of blankets in a way that somehow already felt familiar. Their bodies settled into the same position as earlier, his whole body relaxing as it had not done in years. Emma fell asleep almost immediately, if her quiet snores were any indication. Her back was vibrating softly against his chest and the movement relaxed him further. Sleep claimed him once again as her soft hair tickled his face.

***

Killian ducked as the sword swooped horizontally in the air, swiping at the area his chest had been moments before. Tucking into a tight ball, he somersaulted across the deck and popped up several feet away, his own sword at the ready.

"Is that the best you can do? After all the tales of the fearsome Swan, I expected better, lass."

Emma spun gracefully toward him, her sword flashing as she expertly struck out. He had to react quickly to block her thrusts, unable to stop his smile from forming at the annoyed set of her scrumptious lips. She leaned forward, their swords crossed, and her lips curved into a smirk.

"Oh Jones, I'm rather disappointed. If this is how you handle your sword around a lady, then the tales of your prowess are obviously make-believe." Her smile widened into a grin and she shoved forward, taking advantage of his momentary surprise to slash at him again. He blocked her with a bit more difficulty, his lust rising with his adrenaline. This woman was determined to be the end of him in every way possible.

Killian pushed the flutter in his stomach aside and focused his heated emotions into the fight. Their thrusts and parries led them around the deck of the ship with furious speed and accuracy. He finally used his knowledge of the Jolly Roger to trick Emma into backing up against the mast. He had his sword pressed against her lovely throat, and allowed himself to relish the feeling of her soft, lithe body pressed firmly against his own flesh.

He leaned forward to whisper into her ear, his breath rustling her golden tresses.

"Swan, you know very well that I know exactly how to wield a sword in a way that is pleasing to both myself and the lady with whom I am, ahem,  _sparring_."

The low groan that escaped from the back of her throat caused his mind to go fuzzy for a moment, which is how he allowed her to lean back against the mast, tuck both of her legs into her chest, and kick him squarely in the stomach. Killian stumbled back several steps and attempted to recapture the air that had escaped from his lungs. Emma ran towards him, and before he could lift his sword to block her, she had grabbed hold of a rope and used her momentum to swing around the mast, soaring with ease. Killian was so enthralled that he hardly noticed when she let go and sailed towards him. One moment he was staring at her in wonder and the next he was squarely upon his back, Emma straddling his midsection, her leather-clad thighs trapping his arms against his sides.

He had to admit that she had style.

Emma pressed her sword against his throat, a triumphant smile lighting up her face.

"And once again Jones finds himself flat on his back, unable to get his sword up."

"Ah, love, I assure you, if given the opportunity, my sword is always up."

Emma chucked, sheathed her sword expertly, and leaned forward to kiss him affectionately upon the lips.

"Perhaps later, darling," she murmured, her tone now soft. Killian could only smile and kiss her again, sneaking his hands out from under her knees to slide up her legs. Before he could make it to his curvy destination, he was interrupted by an exasperated young voice in the crow's nest.

"Can you guys cut it out?"

Killian and Emma looked up in unison to see the boy roll his eyes in an overly-dramatic manner.

"I really don't want to watch my parents make out."

Emma climbed off of him gracefully, offering her arm to help him stand up again. He collected his sword from the deck as Emma called out to Henry.

"Sorry kid, we were just sparring."

"Yeah yeah," Henry rolled his eyes again. "Just keep it down, okay? I'm trying to keep watch up here."

"A thousand apologies, lad." Killian dropped into an elaborate bow that elicited a snort from the young watchman. He wrapped his arm around the boy's mother and directed her towards the rear of the ship. Her head fell upon his shoulder in a familiar way as she allowed herself to be led. They sat down in unison and stared at the dark ocean waters, lost in thought. Moments felt like eons as they leaned on one another. The night was still and the stars were bright and all the happiness in the world was on this ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you're wondering, in Killian's dream he has both hands and Emma is the Captain.


End file.
